May 13
Space Shuttle Catches Hubble
Posted in: NASA, science, space, Space Tech, Today's Chili
The space shuttle Atlantis has caught up with the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope 350 miles above Earth, and is now preparing for its robot arm to grab hold of the telescope at 3:54 PM EST, according to CNN. In order to do so, the astronauts must periodically fire the shuttle’s thrusters to line it up with the scope. Meanwhile, the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland is ordering Hubble to stow its two high-gain antennas and close a door to shield the sensitive mirror and other gear, according to the report.
By the end of the procedure, the shuttle will come within 35 feet of the scope, grab hold onto it, and bring it into the shuttle’s cargo bay for repairs. This will be the fifth and final repair mission for the Hubble, which last saw service seven years ago–four years beyond the usual maintenance interval. Originally NASA had decided to EOL Hubble in 2004 after the Columbia disaster the year before, but public pressure and a comprehensive boost in shuttle safety procedures (like the one we saw yesterday) caused the agency to reconsider. (Image credit: NASA)
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